Kids cleaning their rooms

[momee]

I have taught them how to clean their room - I have gone through their toys to be sure there isn't too much to manage.
I have given them plenty of time at home to be sure they aren't rushed and have time to play AND time to put stuff away. They have all of my attention if they do not know how to do something in terms of cleanup.

Why then, when I am straightening the house - does it seem as though my children have never in their life learned how to put a single thing where it belongs?

I am trying my darndest not to get angry and keep a perspective on things, but the stuff in this house is taking too much of my personal time! I want to rest and enjoy being pregnant when I put my head on the pillow instead of feeling huge and tired and achey because my back hurts from constantly PICKING UP.

Is it winter or what?

I would love to hear how you all REALISTICALLY help your kids manage their stuff. I know some use chore charts and some do 15 minute cleanups, but does that really in the long term work? It seems like it's just a maturity thing.
I'm tempted to go back to my mother's scare tactic abuse method - get fed up - stomp through the house with a trash bag and put everything laying around in it.
Stephanie
ps I have asked the 6 year old to straighten her play kitchen and have checked on her three times in 30 mins or so. She's still trying to sort the silverware!!! That's what she was doing when she started!

[Ottakee]

Depending on their ages, you might have to pare down their stuff EVEN MORE. I find that the BIGGEST issue we have is that we have TOO MUCH STUFF. I don't buy much of it at all, it just multiples overnight.

[Antonia]

for at least a week, whether it's clothes, toys, whatever. I only had to do this to my daughter once (favorite outfit). Ds, definitely the bigger slob, is taking a bit longer to get it, but I know it's only a matter of time before I find his ipod on the floor, and then he will feel the pain!

[stephanie]

I have taught them how to clean their room - I have gone through their toys to be sure there isn't too much to manage.
I have given them plenty of time at home to be sure they aren't rushed and have time to play AND time to put stuff away. They have all of my attention if they do not know how to do something in terms of cleanup.

Why then, when I am straightening the house - does it seem as though my children have never in their life learned how to put a single thing where it belongs?

I am trying my darndest not to get angry and keep a perspective on things, but the stuff in this house is taking too much of my personal time! I want to rest and enjoy being pregnant when I put my head on the pillow instead of feeling huge and tired and achey because my back hurts from constantly PICKING UP.

Is it winter or what?

I would love to hear how you all REALISTICALLY help your kids manage their stuff. I know some use chore charts and some do 15 minute cleanups, but does that really in the long term work? It seems like it's just a maturity thing.
I'm tempted to go back to my mother's scare tactic abuse method - get fed up - stomp through the house with a trash bag and put everything laying around in it.
Stephanie
ps I have asked the 6 year old to straighten her play kitchen and have checked on her three times in 30 mins or so. She's still trying to sort the silverware!!! That's what she was doing when she started!


I know exactly what you mean! Every AM it is a chore of my dc to get their rooms cleaned up. I'm obsessive a bit in terms of keeping a neat, clean home so I do keep that in mind. I just expect that everything be put where it 'lives'. I tell my 4 dc that they can play with every toy in the house, throw them wherever you want, but you WILL pick them up and put them back where they belong. My girls do a pretty good job, but the boys stink! They just take their stuff and throw it where it can't be seen to the human eye. However, you know how mom has that super-human eye! I always go back and have them re-do it. I don't expect for them to have a perfect room, but it needs to be orderly. This is important to me b/c I feel it's a valuable lesson for when they are on their own. I'm probably a mean mom b/c I warn them first, and if it's not done correctly then I go with my big, black trash bag. They know when they see me going upstairs with the bag that they better hurry up and clean up. Most of the time they don't even notice that I've thrown things away. I know it sounds stupid that I would throw away things that we've bought, but it seems to work. They usually keep up with the really expensive things in their rooms like Wii, PS2 games. I get so tired of saying the same thing every day. I tell them if they just clean their room, and put things back where they got it then they will never have to clean their room again b/c it'll already be clean, duh! I guess it's just a normal battle that many moms have, but it stinks, huh? I have taken their toys and stored them up until they could be more responsible with them and that helped as well. Good luck to ya. Stephanie

[momee]

Thanks for your replies. I needed to hear at least one I've been there :mad:

That's funny about other moms and the bag method. I thought my mom was the ONLY meanest mom ever.
feeling a little better now and at least energized enough NOT to go beat the kids, KIDDING.
Stephanie

[Mamabegood]

My boys "stink" too, compared to their sisters--definitely a gender thing.

I have recently begun teaching my kids how to do housework, and I've decided to do it using very specific checklists. I'm also picky, so I remind myself not to be unrealistic in my expectations in keeping a tidy house. The research I did beforehand has led me to believe that kids are capable of a lot more than we think, and my kids are leading a pretty soft life.

I can't say how this will work out long term, but so far, I'm very happy with checklists.

[godpoetry]

I have been fussing at my two boys who share a room for two days to pick up their things, especially their clothes off the floor. Today, I went in and declared war on their room. They were told that they had until tonight when scouts started to have it cleaned and everything left in the floor was mine. We shall see what is mine tonight. ;) I have done this before by the way. The last time I got a small bag of things to give away because they did not think I was serious. We shall see about this time.